Source: Daily_Mail
James McCarthy Ireland debut Macedonia
James McCarthy made the first steps towards a long and fruitful career with the Republic of Ireland on Saturday night. And not before time.[LNB]Still eight months short of his 21st birthday, the Wigan midfielder has been one of the sensations in the Barclays Premier League this season. Rather like Seamus Coleman in fact.[LNB]Not quite sensational enough for Giovanni Trapattoni to re-shape his team and remove midfielders with fewer English league miles on their clocks this season, but good enough for the Ireland manager to leave his house in Milan for a day or two to facilitate a meeting with the player and his manager Roberto Martinez.[LNB] Worth the wait: McCarthy (left) finally makes his Ireland debut[LNB]'Everything went well,' McCarthy said when he was surrounded by the hacks and their digital recorders by the side of the training pitch by the coast in north Dublin during the build-up to the 2-1 win over Macedonia. [LNB]'I was happy with what he was telling me. But nothing had changed. I am happy just to get away with Ireland and put all this stuff to bed now.[LNB]'My main thing now is to get some game-time for Ireland and put all this to bed, and I am looking forward to it.'[LNB]All week Trapattoni, and his coaches, had warned that McCarthy's input into this important Euro 2012 qualifier would be limited. 'Even if I only give him two or three minutes,' Trap said on Tuesday after the players had gathered in Portmanock. 'He will play.'[LNB]But by Friday afternoon, as he met the media in the Grand Hotel, Malahide, Trapattoni's resolve had hardened and clearly the Italian had decided he had have every intention of using the flame-haired playmaker for longer than the required few competitive seconds which would, once and for all, end any desire to switch allegiance back to Scotland.[LNB]Making a splash: McCarthy has starred for Wigan[LNB]'McCarthy will play sure,' said the Ireland boss. `I said this week it would be for two minutes but I was joking. He will definitely play.[LNB]'He could play behind one striker, why not? I thought about this position for Stephen Ireland two years ago but he decided not to come with us. Now we have McCarthy and he is ready.'[LNB]High praise indeed. The idea of McCarthy becoming the long-term replacement for the tiresome Ireland - whose name is only mentioned in passing and the past tense by Trapattoni these days, no one else - is a fascinating one. [LNB]It also gives the impression that, despite and perhaps because of the Russian debacle, the 72-year-old is considering a switch in tactics to accommodate a player worth building a side around before he leaves these shores forever to retire in Italy.[LNB]He has the chance to put such theories to the test at the Aviva Stadium against Uruguay are the visitors, sadly sans Luis Suarez, which might have added a few to an attendance figure which will make interesting viewing, and reading.[LNB] With Kevin Doyle looking doubtful for the return match in Macedonia in June, McCarthy will be vying with Reading's ever-improving Shane Long for a starting place in Skopje. [LNB]A central midfield slot in Trapattoni's favoured 4-4-2 formation is also up for grabs, if he can prove he is disciplined enough.[LNB]The length of his involvement on Saturday was always going to depend on the performance and result against Macedonia, and when Aiden McGeady finally broke his incredible 38-game duck with his drilled right foot shot in just 82 seconds, McCarthy was already attuned for that all important competitive debut. [LNB]In fact when Robbie Keane's neat finish made it two for Ireland after 22 minutes, McCarthy was already by the touchline, loosely stretching a few muscles in preparation.[LNB]His appearance beside the touchline cameraman brought a small ripple of applause from his admirers in that corner, and the rest of the old Lansdowne Road crowd clearly had intentions to make a warmer and wider and wilder welcome for him when he was called into real action.[LNB] Long time coming: Aiden McGeady scored his first goal for Ireland against Macedonia[LNB]He had been warming up from 7.15pm. While Il Trap's fitness coach Fausto Rossi put the starting 10 outfield players through their paces, intense stretches and warm-up game, McCarthy stood near the centre circle tapping a ball with fellow subs Ciaran Clark, Shane Long and Keith Fahey; the odd touch and flick from the young Scot showing glimpses of the skills which have impressed bigger fish in the Premier League this season.[LNB]Twice he came out from the bench pack to warm those same limbs in the first half, although it was without any intensity or real meaning. On a surprisingly cold and fresh night, McCarthy was no doubt just happy to watch from the side of the pitch to keep warm.[LNB]He may have glanced hopefully to Trapattoni in the 16th minute when Nicolche Noveski's agricultural challenge from behind ended Kevin Doyle's participation. But with so little time on the clock, and Ireland playing so well under that rigid system, Trapattoni was always certain to turn to Shane Long as stand-in for his former Reading team-mate at that stage.[LNB]McCarthy would indeed have to wait, and when he returned to the centre circle during half-time with the other unused subs for an impromptu game of keepy-ups, McCarthy was no doubt among those in green who felt Ivan Trichkovski's neat goal seconds before the break the most. Another excuse for Trapattoni to delay the inevitable.[LNB]Boban Grncharov's WWE-style assault on Shane Long prompted McCarthy to return to the touchline routine just five minutes after the re-start, no doubt hoping his presence would provoke Trapattoni in to making the change in his favour. But Long returned, a little dazed, his head bandaged, and McCarthy, and Trap, waited for Keane's legs to tire to the point of exhaustion instead.[LNB] Spot the ball: Robbie Keane (left) beats Macedonia's goalkeeper Edin Nuredinoski to find the net[LNB]When Darron Gibson was withdrawn 14 minutes from the end, it was Keith Fahey who benefitted, even though the home side were offering virtually nothing inspirational in attack at that point. Suddenly, two or three minutes was not that funny after all.[LNB]But with nine minutes left, with Ireland trying to preserve their lead, McCarthy was sent out for one last warm-up, and meaningfully galloped past the cameraman and then stood to his spot stretching the vital muscles one last time.[LNB]As the seconds passed, McCarthy, standing 30 yards from his manager, continued to glance hopefully, desperately, in his direction.[LNB]The call came at last after 85 minutes and 21 seconds and a loud acknowledgement went up from an enthusiastic audience. A quick word from Il Gaffer in his shell, McCarthy took his kit off - ironically with Trap screaming at him now to get a move one.[LNB]And then finally James McCarthy became a Republic of Ireland player.[LNB]Bar the goals, his introduction brought the biggest cheers of the night - one when his name was read out, one for his sprint on to the field. And there were just three minutes left, of course.[LNB]For the record, McCarthy played two simple passes wide, won and lost a couple of loose ball tussles with Veliche Shumulikoski, wrestled with Mario Gjurovski on the ground and won the ball, hit a tame shot at Boban Grncharov's backside and wasted vital seconds with Damien Duff before the final whistle. And then he got a deserved cuddle from Marco Tardelli. [LNB]There is plenty of time for this young star to have an influence for Ireland, as he could show against Uruguay.[LNB]But it's a start. At last.[LNB] Rep Ireland 2 Macedonia 1: Goalkeeper gaffes hand boost to TrapattoniThe saviour! So nearly a policeman, but now Westwood is Ireland's hero Wolves suffer Doyle blow with crocked striker set to miss rest of the seasonKeane urges disciplinary rethink after Dunne out of next Euro 2012 game [LNB] Explore more:People: Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane, Aiden McGeady, James McCarthy, Damien Duff, Roberto Martinez Places: Milan, Dublin, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Ireland, Macedonia
